Dallas City News

It feels good to be back in the swing of things, especially after the Dallas Cowboys convincing win over the Cleveland Browns by the score of 33-17. Even after sitting most of their starters in the preseason, there didn’t seem to be any rust across the board for Mike McCarthy’s team.

The offense may have started slow on its opening drive but regained its rhythm on the second. A beautiful anticipation throw for a touchdown from Dak Prescott to Brandin Cooks capped it off. It showcased how much chemistry was built between the two this offseason.

This offseason, there was a concern that Dan Quinn’s departure might lead to a drop-off in defensive production. However, the defense in Cleveland looked better and continued to force turnovers, led by Eric Kendricks and Trevon Diggs.

Each week for the 2024 season, we will rank players from ten down to number one. This will be part of a rolling tally point system to determine the Cowboys MVP at the end of the year.

Here are the top ten players from the Cowboys’ win over the Browns.

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10. Tyler Guyton, OT

Let’s not forget. Tyler Guyton was touted as a “developmental prospect” from college. In a year, he would transition from right tackle to left tackle. Even though he was drafted in the first round, many analysts expected the Cowboys to take a step back if they were to play the rookie right away or if they needed to redshirt him for a season.

Well, Guyton proved everyone wrong. While Guyton struggled with Myles Garrett (who wouldn’t?), he found a way not to let the reigning Defensive Player of the Year wreck the game. It’s still a long season ahead, but the early return on Guyton looks like the Cowboys may have found another diamond along their offensive line.

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

9. Caelen Carson, CB

It was deflating to read that DaRon Bland would be missing time with a stress fracture in his foot. It would be a few more weeks before fans saw Bland and Trevon Diggs playing on the outside together.

What options did the Cowboys have? Stephon Gilmore was already on the Minnesota Vikings’ roster, and they had already traded Nahshon Wright, one of their most tenured true corners, to Minnesota. After having an outstanding training camp, the team decided to run with their rookie fifth-round pick, Caelen Carson, hoping it would carry over.

Carson looked like a seasoned veteran against Amari Cooper, who had just two catches for 16 yards off nine targets. The Cowboys seem in good hands until Bland returns from his injury.

8. Dak Prescott, QB

Credit to Dak Prescott for not letting his new contract extension distract him from focusing on the season opener in Cleveland. Even after agreeing to the deal hours before kickoff, that didn’t seem to rattle his cage at all—but what does rattle No. 4?

Prescott didn’t have his best statistical game against the Browns’ defense, but he didn’t have to. The one thing he couldn’t do was turn the ball over and make negative plays. The offense did stall in the second half, but by then, the Cowboys were just sitting on a lead.

His sole touchdown pass of the day summarized the zone Prescott is operating in right now. Coming off an MVP-caliber season, he’s often credited for being able to see things pre-snap better than most quarterbacks in the league. He picked up on Cleveland’s defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz sending the house at him on third down, and Prescott adjusted and anticipated, dropping the football in the bucket for Brandin Cooks.

If the Cowboys get that version of Prescott again in 2024, he’ll be right back in the MVP conversation.

7. Trevon Diggs/Jourdan Lewis, CB

Choosing between Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis for this spot was tough, so we’re bending the rules for Week 1 and giving it to them both.

Diggs didn’t look intimidated in his first game back from a torn ACL and was locking down the outside like fans have become accustomed to seeing. For Lewis, he had one of his best games. He flew all over the field, unafraid to punch above his weight class and go after tight end David Njoku. Both corners finished with five tackles on the day, and Diggs had an interception that was the final nail in the coffin for Cleveland at the end of the game.

Historically, Mike Zimmer expects a lot from his defensive backs, and all three of them appearing on the list should get fans excited about what the secondary could look like in 2024.

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

6. CeeDee Lamb, WR

CeeDee Lamb bet on himself this offseason and cashed in with a new four-year, $136 million contract extension. He held out from all offseason activities until two weeks before Sunday’s kickoff.

What shape would their star wide receiver be in after missing out on NFL conditioning? Lamb worked with some great trainers at Alkeme Performance in Florida (more on that later), and that allowed him not to miss a beat.

McCarthy didn’t seem worried about a pitch count for Lamb, who was on the field for 71 percent of offensive snaps. Prescott targeted his receiver ten times, leading to a team-high five receptions for 61 yards.

5. Brandon Aubrey, K

Brandon Aubrey is the worst-kept secret in the NFL. Not only can he do things like squib kicks to help Dallas in the new era of a dynamic kickoff, but he can comfortably hit field goals whenever the offense gets into enemy territory.

After getting to the 48-yard line of Cleveland, Aubrey was ready to line up for a 66-yard field goal. Even though it was ruled a delay of the game, Aubrey still attempted the kick and still made it, clearing the crossbar with room to spare. In Monday’s coordinator press conference, special team coach John Fassel revealed he felt comfortable letting Aubrey kick from 66… into the wind. He said if they were kicking in the other direction with the wind to his back, he would have felt more comfortable attempting the 71-yarder after the penalty.

Coach “Bones” Fassel is known for his crazy coaching style but may have finally found a kicker that matches his crazy.

4. DeMarcus Lawrence, DE

DeMarcus Lawrence continues to be one of the most underrated players in the league. If the Cowboys need a stop on third and short, he always finds a way to knife through a defense at the right moment. If the defense needs a sack to push the opposing offense back, Tank will find a way to get not one, but two when Micah Parsons is double-teamed.

Lawrence’s professional, do-everything attitude is precisely what Dallas could use this season to help teach the next generation in Marshawn Kneeland, who could be in line to take Lawrence’s spot someday.

For now, Tank is here to stay and sets the tone on defense for everyone to follow.

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

3. Eric Kendricks, LB

For a while, Eric Kendricks was the Cowboys’ prized free agent signing of the offseason. Not because he was an All-Pro player in 2023, but because he was the only one Dallas went after for a while.

Originally, Kendricks agreed to sign with the San Francisco 49ers but pivoted to the Cowboys after considering he would be paired with Mike Zimmer again as his defensive play-caller. Both spent most of their careers paired in Minnesota when Zimmer was head coach and drafted Kendricks out of UCLA in 2015.

Kendricks was one of the games most impactful players, recording an interception, two sacks, and six tackles. Another benefit of having Kendricks on the team is what happens Monday through Saturday. He can help answer the young linebackers’ questions about the scheme and be a good mentor. If the Cowboys hope to improve their run defense under Zimmer, their middle linebacker will quite literally be at the center of it.

2. DeMarvion Overshown, LB

It never seemed likely that there would be another player on the Cowboys’ defense who would look faster than Micah Parsons. Then DeMarvion Overshown showed what he was capable of.

Dallas’ second-year linebacker didn’t seem limited in his mobility despite missing last season with a torn ACL injury. Not every tear is the same, but it can take a while before players with that injury get back to form, not for Overshown.

The former Texas Longhorn looks like the same player who impressed last offseason during training camp and the preseason. Overshown led the team with 11 combined tackles, two quarterback hits, and his first career sack.

The reason why Overshown gets the nod above Kendricks for the No. 2 spot is based on potential. If he continues to be the same player on Sunday through the regular season, there’s a chance he could be at the top of this list multiple times.

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

1. Micah Parsons, LB/DE

Micah Parsons has finished as a finalist in Defensive Player of the Year voting for three years. On Sunday, his performance let everyone know he won’t accept anything less than the trophy this year. Pro Football Focus gave Parsons 11 pressures on the day against Cleveland, tied for first in the NFL with Detroit Lions Aidan Hutchinson.

Former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn moved Parsons around the defense, but Mike Zimmer had Parsons take snaps from eight positions. He was being moved all over the field, keeping the offense guessing where he would be rushing from.

Parsons is an avid chess player, so it’s only fitting his cerebral play off the field finally aligns with how he’s used on it. The Lion has talked about Zimmer’s influence on his game and recognized he could elevate his game to be one of the best of all time. If Zimmer can harness Parsons’ ability and turn him loose in various ways, there’s no telling how special this season can be.